Electric display system.



A. C. HEINY.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1905. RENEWED SEPT.15. l9l6.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

(igua- A. C. HEINY.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED no. 1905. aznzwzo'swms, 19l6.

1 ,220, 1 O9 Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Wi/nemres: Y Ina/Q7129? S z o% A. C. HEINY.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. I905. RENEWED SEPT. 15. 1916.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEEI' 3.

A. C(HEINY.

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM.

' APPLICATION FILED MAYIO i905- 1,220,109.

RENEWED SEPT-15,19l6.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANATOLE C. HEINY, OF .ILUSHING, NEW YORK, ASBIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10 HEINY- ELECTRIC CO., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC msrmv srsrml.

Application flied Kay 10, 1905, Serial No. 258,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, ANATOLE C. HEINY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Flushing, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Electric Display Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrically illuminated sign apparatus in which characters, such as numbers or letters, are produced and changed-at will, the lamps, by the lighting of which the characters are formed, being arranged in separate groups or sets, commonly called monograms.

My invention has for its object to produce a system of this character that is especially adapted for indicating the time, though it may be used for other purposes, and consists of a plurality of monograms at each of which different illuminated characters may be displayed, means whereby a cycle of changes in the lamps illuminated at one monogram, in order to successively produce different characters, takes place, and means whereby a change in the character displayed at another monogram is produced at each cycle of changes at the first monogram, this principle being carried out to any desired extent, the second monogram causing a change in the third monogram at each cycle of its changes, and so on.

My invention further consists in certain improved details of construction and arrangement whereby the system is adapted for practical operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Fi ure 1 is a diagram illustrating the princip e and method of operation of the invention in a veg simple form.

ig. 2 1s a front view of the sign as it appears when used to indicate time, part of the casing being broken away to show the arrangement of the lamps at the monograms.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the sign, parts being broken away. I

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the interior of the sign illustrating the mechanism by which the changes in the characters dis played are effected, parts being broken a'wa Q Fig. 5 is an edge view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional v1ew of part Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917. ne ewea 'se umber'iu, 1am. Serial Il'o. 120,41a

of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5, drawn on a larger scale.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the intermittentlyopera-ting or'step by step mechanism employed for effecting the changes in the display at a mono am.

Fig. 8 is an en view of parts of the apparatus shown in Fi 7.

Fig. 9 is an elevatlon partly in section of the same mechanism.

And Fig. 10 is an elevation of the upper part of the set of stationary contacts and the associated brush.

In the drawings, except the diagram Fig. 1, I have illustrated my invention applied to an illuminated sign for indicating time, it being arranged to cause a change in the display at each successive minute. Such a sign requires the use of four monograms or groups of lamps, two to display the hours and two to display the minutes. Usually an illuminated character to indicate a period is employed to separate the second minute monogram from the. first hour monogram, as iildicated at 50 in Fig. 2.

In using such sign three of the mono ms will be constantly illuminated an the fourth will be used between the hours of 10.00 and 12.59. Changes in the characters displayed at the first minute monogram are successively made at intervals of one minute each so long as the sign is in use,

changes in the second monogramare made each ten minutes, and in the third monogram at intervals of an hour.

In Fig. 2 the darkl shaded lamps are those supposed to be il uminated and they indicate the hour of 2.47. At the end of a minute the sign will be changed to display 2.48, immediately before the change, however, the lights are all momentarily extinguished in that monogram in which a change is to take place.

As my invention relates more particularly to a system of electrical illumination than to the particular means by which that systemis carried into operation, it will be first described in connection with the very simple diagrammatic illustration shown in Fig. 1, wherein are illustrated three groups of six lamps each and circuits and electrical means for operating them according to the principle of my invention.

- Referring to this diagram, at ,2 is represented an element or some control mechanism, such as a studded contact wheel arranged to have intermittent step by-step movements imparted to it, as by some syn: chronizing mechanism connected with a clockor with a registering mechanism such as a meter of some kind. This element, 2, is shown as being arranged in a local circuit comprising a source of electricity, 3, an electro-magnet t, and the stationary contact 5. Each time the element 2 is moved one of the pins or studs thereof engages with the contact 5 and the local circuit is closed, causing the magnet t to be energized so that it attracts its armature 6. The armature is arranged to operate a pawl 7 that is held in engagement with a ratchet 8 on the shaft of a wheel 9 that carries a brush or other contact device 10. in the path of the contact 10, as it moves by the rotation of the wheel 9, are as many pairs of stationary contacts as there are changes to be made in the illumination of the panel or monogram, which the mechanism of which the wheel 9 is a part controls. In the diagram there are three of these pairs ofcontacts, as the system illustrated is arranged to have three changes in. the illumination of the panel or monogram at each revolution of the wheel. The stationary contacts of the groups are designated l1-l2, l1-12, ll"-l2. When these stationary contacts are referred to in a general way, without designating which group is referred to, the exponents of the numbers are disregarded.

The entiredisplay system, consisting of" the three monograrns and associated mechanism, is by preference controlled and actuated by one source of electric generation, indicated at 13. The direct wires and conductors from the generator 13 are represented by solid lines and the return wires or conductorsby broken or dotted lines. The generator is connected with the contact wheel 9 by a wire 14-, the armature lever and the pawl 7, and the circuit through this wheel stands normally open, for the contact 10 is out of engagement with any of; its associated stationary c'ontactswhenever the magnet 4 rsunactive, but iscarried into engagement with and past them each timethe magnet is energized, that is, each time the control mechanism at 2 operates.

The stationary contacts 11 are each connected with a cut-out device, arranged to .open the lighting circuit of the monogram,

whenever the contact 10 engages with one of them, and cause the momentary extinguishing of all the lamps immediately before a new illumination takes place.

. The direct wire 14 from the generator is connected with the lamps in a manner presently to be described and forms part of the lighting circuit. At 51 there is a break in the wire 14 that is normally bridged by an armature lever 28 controlled by the electromagnet 25. This magnet is connected by the wire 26 with the stationary contacts 11, and by the wire 27 with the return conductor 16 leading back to the generator. The cut-out circuit is maintained only so long as the contact 10 remains in engagement with the stationary contact 11 as it is passing from one position of rest to the next, and immediately upon this circuit being broken a new lighting circuit is established by the engagement of the contact 10 with a stationary contact 12. The apparatus is so constructed that when the lighting circuit is once completed it so remains, keeping the lamps burning until the cut-out is again operated at another movement of the wheel 9. The means by which this is effected will be described later.

The lamps of the panel are designated 15 and are connected, in parallel, with the return wire or conductor 16. Each lamp is also directly connected with an insulated contact strip or bar 17.

18,18, and 18" are movable selecting bars connected with the direct wire 1% and each provided with a series of contact springs or fingers 19 arranged to be brought into engagement with certain of the contact strips or bars 17 according to the disposition of the contacts 19. The arrangement or" contacts on each bar is different from that on the others with the result that when one bar is moved a certain lamp or lamps are lighted, when another bar is moved another set of lamps is lighted, and so on. The lighting circuit may be traced as follows: vit'rom the generator along the conductor 14 to aparticular selecting bar 18, thence by its contacts 19 to the selected strips 17, through the lamps that are connected with the strips and back to the generator by the conductor 16. The bars 18 are normally held by the springs 21so that the contacts 19 are-out of engagement with the strips 17. 20, 20, 20" represent electro-magnets arranged to control the positions of the contact bars 18, the latter having attached to them the armatures 22.

Each of the electro-magnets 20 is connected by a wire 23 with the return conductor 16, and by a wire 24 with one of the stationary contacts "12. Supposing the parts to be in the position indicated at the left-hand panel of Fig. 1 and that the control wheel 2 is moved to complete a circuit through the local battery and to energize the magnet t:

This causes the wheel 9 to be turned one step in the direction of the arrow, and first completes a circuit through the cut-out, extinguishing the lamps one, four and five that had just been burning, leaving the monogram momentarily dark. Immediately after this another circuit is completed by the engagement of the contacts 10, 12, and the electro-magnet 20 is energized, attracting its armature, and moving the contact bar 18 so as to bring. the contact springs or fingers 19 carried thereby into engagement with those contact strips that are connected with the second, third and sixth lamps of the group. A new li hting circuit is then established through t ese selected lamps and they display a certain character at the monogram.

I have stated that the lamps, after being once li hted, remain in this condition until the ilfiiminating circuit is broken at 51, which does not take place until the control mechanism 2 again closes the local circuit, and the wheel 9 is moved another step. This I prefer to effect by the' following arrangement at each of the magnets 20: The coil of the magnet isconnected, as already stated, by the wires 23, 24, with the opposite poles of the generator. In addition to these connections the wire 24 is connected by the wire 30 with the core 29 of the magnet, so that whenever the armature 22 is attracted and comes into engagement with the end of the core, current will be supplied to the magnet and keep it energized, even after the contacts 10 and 12 separate, by the following circuit, namely, by the wire 14, the contact bar 18, the armature 22, the core 29, the wire 30, the wire 24 to the coil of the magnet, and thence back to the 16. In the right-hand group of the diagram the lower bar 18", which is associated with the contact 12", and controls lamps one, four and five, is held in contact position by the magnet 20 as the last preceding contact made by the wheel 9 was with the stationary spring or contact 12". i v

In the middle groupthe selecting'bar 18 is in contact position and lamps two, three and six are burning, the wheel 9 having been moved one step only. None of the lam s of the third group or monogram arelig ted, that group not yet having been brought into use.

It will be seen that the wheel 9, as it revolves, causes different groups of lamps to be successively lighted, thus successively displaying difierent predetermined characters. This is repeated again and again as often as the wheel is completely turned. As my invention is particularly intended for use in signs showln numbers progressively increasing in size, it is necessary that after the apparatus at one panel has completed its cycle of changes and is about to begin anew that the next panel in the series should given an advance movement, and this I efiect by the following mechanism: The last contact of the 12 series is not only connected with an electro-magnet 20, but is also connected, by the wire 31, with the main operating ma net 4, of the second oup of lamps. This magnet corresponds in eve respect with the magnet '4 already describe except that it is not in a local circuit, but

generator over the wires 23 and rather in circuit with the main generator 13, being connected with the return conductor 16, by wire 32, and with the direct wire 14 through the wire 31 and the parts at the first grou as just described. The mechanism of t e second panel is a duplicate of that of the first and need not be further described. It in turn is connected with the third panel, and this may be continued to an desired extent.

it will thus be seen that at every movement of the control member 2, the mechanism of the first panel. is operated, and a 4 fect, and that is adapted for indicating the time of day. A sign for this purpose is shown in ig. 2 where the lamps are represented as bein mounted in a box or casing which pre erably has two compartments, a lower one, 32, in which the lamps are grouped to form monograms, and an up per one, 33, which however is not essential to my invention and the face of which may bear an illuminated inscription, such as the wor s-Standard time. The lamps 15 are mounted behind a perforated cover plate,

and, if desired, reflectors 34, represented in Fig. 3, may be arranged adjacent to the lamps.

In rear of the compartment 32 and within the inclosing casing of the sign, there is preferably arranged another compartment 35, see Fig. 3, in which the electrical apparatus for operating the sign is arranged. Between the compartments 32 and 35 is a partition 36 of some suitableinsulating material, such as slate, upon which the various parts of the apparatus are supported.

The lamps are attached tothe front face of the insulating partition 36 by suitable connecting and binding screws that form the terminals thereof, as best indicated in Fig. 2, where the casing is broken away to expose the lamps of one of the monograms and where the wires for the lamps are indicated by dotted lines, the returnwires be ing designated by heavy dotted lines and the direct wires by light dotted lines. Each lamp is connected with a return wire 16, and, by a vWire 37 and screw or other connecting means 38, with a contact strip 17. These strips. are not seen in Fig. 2, but are arranged on the opposite or rear face of the without the other one bein partition 36, being secured in place by the screws or supporting pins 38.

It will be seen that not only are the connections of the strips or bars 17 with the lamps direct, but that there is a strip or bar for each lamp, or for each group of lamps that is always lighted as a unit, that is to say, each group, of which there may be one.

or more in each panel, no lamp of which is ever lighted except all the others of the group are simultaneously lighted.

In order to produce all of the figures from 0 to 9, thirty-seven lamps are required and they are arranged as indicated in the first or right-hand and the third panels or groupsin Fig. 1. However, as some of the lamps are always lighted at the same time, they may therefore be connected to a common contact strip 17, and hence a number of such strips and associated parts less than the total number of lamps is suliicient for all purposes of illumination. It will be observed that there are two sets of connecting pins or screws 38 arranged in rows along the opposite sides of the panel, and similarly designated. This is for convenience in wiring, because as the strips 17 extend entirely across the panel or monogram and have to be connected and supported at both ends, the wire 37 from a lamp may'goto that connection, either at one side or the other, that is nearest to it. The diderent groupings of lamps are clearly indicated at the right-hand panel of Fig. 2 and I will now describe them. Lamp 1 is connected on one side with a return wire and on its other side with the first contact strip. Lamps 2 and 4 are connected in parallel on one side with the return wire 16, and on the other both with the contact strip 2, because under no condition is one of these lam s lighted lig ted also. Lamp 3 is connected on one side with the return conductor and on the other with a wire 39 that is in direct connection with the wire 14; that is to say, lamp 3 has no contact stri 17 for the reason that this lamp'is use in the formation of every number and therefore is always illuminated whenever the monogram or panel of which it is a part I is illuminated.

Lamp 5 is connected with the third contact strip; lamps'6 and 11 with the fourth contact strip; lamps 7-, 12, 17 and 30 with the fifth contact strip; lamps 9, 14, 20, 28 and 34 with the sixth contact strip; lamps 8 and 13 with strip 7; lamps 10 and 15 with strip 8; lamp 18 with strip 9; 16 with strip 10; 19 with strip 11; 22 with strip'12; 21 with strip 13; 23 and 26 with strip 14; 25 and 31 with strip 15; 24 with strip 16; 27 with strip 17 29 with strip 18; 33 and 36 with strip 19; 32- with strip 20; 35 with strip 21; and 37 with strip The second monogram or group of lamps,

- strips 17 and the slidingnliars 18, as indi-' menace when used in a time display apparatus, is required to show but six figures from 0 to 5, inclusive, for which reason a less number of lamps is required, 32 being sufi cient, andto properly display the desired numbers but 20 contact strips are required. The third group, as has been stated, is similar to the first as it is necessary at this monogram to show all of the figures. The fourth group is arranged to show only the number 1, and-its lamps are therefore connected with illuminating devices that are associated with those that control the lamps of the third group, all of the lamps of the fourth monogram being connected with a single contact strip 17.

Various means may be employed for completing the circuits through various groups of lamps to display the desired numbers, but I prefer, in an automatically operated electrical means, for the purpose. Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the apparatus will be found further'illustrated. The contact strips 17 are bars of some good conducting material secured to the rear of the partition 36 by the screws or pins 38, as has been described. As will be seen by reference to the views just referred to the contact strips are rigid bars arranged parallel to each other at the back of the panel or support 36 and pivotally mounted in supporting brackets 50, suitably secured to the panel, the binding screws 38 assisting in this, and also each constituting a link in the connection between the strip with which it is associated and the particular lamp or set of lamps to which it may be connected. Adjacent to the bars are mounted the series of movable rods or bars 18 on which are secured the contacts 19. The bars ar e preferably arranged parallel with each other and transverse to or crosswise of the strips 17 and are mounted in and guided by the brackets 40 one of which at least, and preferably the lower one, is connected with the direct wire 14 from p the generator. The bars are held in their lowermost or normal positions by springs 21, if it should be found that gravity is not apparatus such as herein disclosed, to use sufiicient for this purpose. At the upper ends of the bars 18 are the armatures 22 for the magnets 20 which are supported in brackets 42 at the rear of the partition 36. These magnets are connected by the wires 24, 24 with the intermittent or step by step contact making devices which will be presently described in detail. The cut-out magnets 25, one for each panel or group of lamps, are preferably mounted below the cated in Figs. 4 and 5. strips 17 bear upon springs 51 against which they are more tightl pressed when the contacts 19 are broug t into engagement, thus insuring good electrical contacts. 1

It will be seen that the described arrangement makes a very compact and convenient apparatus, and one in which the various parts are easily accessible, since the electromagnets 20 are all arranged side by side at one end of the apparatus and may be.

7 changes in the displays made at the monoams. The main operating magnet 4 is illustrated, but the apparatus which controls the electric current that energizes this magnet is not shown. It would be a clock or a mechanism controlled by a clock when this display system is used to show the time. The armature 6 of the electro-magnet 4. is connected with and operates a pawl-carrying lever 7 that in turn engages with a ratchet wheel 8 that is on the shaft of an arm or segment of a wheel, 9, in which is supported the contact brush 10. These parts are mounted in a supporting bracket 43' which may be of any suitable construction.

The brush 10 is arranged to travel around and in contact with the periphery of a circular, cup-shaped, or annular, insulating support 44 for the contacts 11 and 12. This support may be of slate, porcelain, ebonite, or other suitable non-conducting material and is mounted upon a ring-shaped bracket.

45 formed of some good conductor of electricity, such as brass. Upon or into the periphery of the insulating support 44 are set the contacts 11 and 12 in such positions that at every step or movement of the brush 10 it passes over a pair of the strips and j completes two independent electric circuits,

such as were described in explaining the system in connection with the diagrammatic view, Fig. 1. Each of the strips or contact pieces 11 is electrically connected with the conducting bracket 45 by screws 46 that pass entirely through the non conducting support 44, and this bracket 45 is connected,

by wire 26, with the cut-out at 25. Each of the contacts 12 is connected with the binding post or terminal connection 49 of a wire 24 leading to one of the magnets 20.

By mounting the insulating support 44 upon an annular bracket, such as shown, I

cause the contacts 11 and 12 to be supported in an annularly arranged series entirely around which the contact brush 10 may be carried, thus permitting a cycle of electrical circuits to be completed, which may be reproduced again and again as often as may be desired. The arrangement shown facilitates compactness of arrangement and disposition of parts, while at the same time it leaves every part of the apparatus easy of accem to-facilitate the making of repairs 36 by suitable brackets 48. As each step by step circuit controlling device will be situated .in proximity to and directly above the set of contact selecting devices for the lighting circuits, it will be seen how easyit is to make the connections between the binding posts 49 and the electro-magnets 20.

The number of pairs of contacts 11, 12, in each group or series is determined by the number of changes to be made at the monogram it controls in the cycle of independent displays to be made. In an apparatus arranged to designate time, the controlling devices for the first monogram will have ten pairs of contacts, one for each of the figures from 0 to 9. The second controlling device will have but six pairs of contacts arranged to cause the successive display of the figures 0 to 5, while the third controlling device will have twelve pairs of contacts arranged to cause the successive display of the numbers 1 to 12.

For convenience in manufacture and to obviate the making'of parts of different sizes and constructions, the contact devices for the second and third groups of lamps may be identical, each having twelve pairs of stationary contacts. In this case the device that is employed for the second monogram will have the opposite pairs of similar contacts electrically connected, or have the opposite pairs of contacts 12 connected with the same magnets 20. This will result .in producing two cycles of changes at the monogram for each complete revolution of 'the contact brush 10.

play at the sign is made by means of electric lamps, it will be understood that other electric apparatus for effecting a display might be used in lieu of lamps.

What I claim is: p

1. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of a monogram containing lamps, contact strips individual to the lamps and connected directly therewith arranged substantially parallel with each other, sliding bars freely movable in the direction of their length and arranged transversely across the strips and provided with contacts for engaging with the latter, and control devices for movingthe bars endwise, consisting of a set of electro-magnets arranged close together along one side of the contact strips.

2. In an electric displayapparatus, the combination of a monogram containing electric lamps, a generator and illuminating circuit, a cut-out in the illuminating circuit, an electro-magnet for operating the cut-out, movable circuit-closing devices arranged to put different groups of lamps into circuit with the generator, electro-magnets for moving the said circuit-closing devices, a series of stationary contacts with which the windings of the said electro-magnets are respectively connected, another series of stationary contacts each connected with the cut-out electro-magnet, the contacts of the said two series being arranged in pairs made up of one contact from each series, and

a single movable contact arranged to suc cessively engage with the said pairs of stationary contacts to cause first a circuit to be completed through the electro-magnet of the cut-out, and then, as the movable contact engages the second stationary contact of the pair, to close the circuit through the electro-magnets controlling the circuit-closing devices for the lamp circuits to be closed, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of a monogram containing electric lamps, movable selecting devices ar: ranged to put diflerent groups of lamps into circuit with the generator, electro-magnets for controlling the movements of the said selecting devices, a series of stationary contacts connected with the electro-magnets, a movable contact arranged to be moved successively into engagement with the said stationary contacts to cause circuits to be completed through the electro-magnets with which they are connected, a second monogram, control devices associated therewith for causing successive changes in the illumination thereof, a magnet for actuating the said control mechanism, and a connection between one of the stationary contacts associated with the first monogram and the electro-magnet which operates the control devices of the second monogram, substantially as set forth. 4

4. In an electric display system, the combi nation of a monogram, movable selectin devices arranged to put difierent groups 0 lamps into circuit with the generator, electro-magnets for controlling the movements of the said selecting devices, a series of stationary contacts, connected with the electromagnets, a cut-out in the illuminating ciraccents cuit, another series of stationary contacts, connected w1th the cut-out, the contacts, oi said series, being arranged in pairs, a movable contact arranged toengage successively with the pairs of contacts, a second monogram, means for controlling. the illumination of the second monogram, an electro-mag'net Y contact arm arranged to travel entirely around the said cup-shaped support to engage with the said contacts, substantially as set forth.

6.. In an electric display apparatus, the

combination of a monogram containing U lamps, parallel bars individual to the lamps, or groups of the lam s, and directly connected therewith, sliding bars freely movable longitudinall and arranged transversely to the paral el bars and carrying contacts for engagement with the latter, and means for individually actuating the contact bars arranged opposite the ends of such bars.

7. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of a monogram containing lamps, parallel bars individual to the lamps, or to groups of the lamps, and directly connected therewith, sliding bars freely movable longitudinally and arranged transversely to the parallel bars and carrying contacts for engagement with the latter, means for individually actuating the contact bars arranged opposite the end of such bars and means at the ends of the sliding bars on which the said actuating means operate.

8. In an electric display apparatus, the combination of a monogram containing lamps, parallel bars individual to the lamps, or to groups of the lamps, and directly connected therewith, sl ding bars freely movable longitudinally and arranged transversely to the parallel bars and'carrying contacts for engagement with the latter when moved from normal positions, means for individually actuating the contact bars lamps, bars individual to the lamps, or

to groups of the lamps, to which they are directly connected, sliding bars freely movable longitudinally and arranged transversely to the parallel bars and carrying contacts for engagement with the latter, means for actuating a selected contact bar to move it so as to cause the contacts it carries to engage with lamp connected bars, and means in operative connection with the said actuating means arranged to cause all the 10 sliding contact carrying bars to be restored to normal position before the actuating means operate.

ANATOLE G. HEINY.

Witnes ses M. KAs'roR', O. DURANDS. 

